The present disclosure relates to a toner container and an image forming apparatus including thereof.
An image forming apparatus such as a copier, a laser printer or the like includes a toner container attached to the apparatus main body. In general, the toner container includes a housing, a toner discharge outlet, and a shutter mechanism. The housing stores the toner. The toner discharge outlet is formed on the housing. The shutter mechanism is able to open and close the toner discharge outlet. Here, in the housing of the toner container, a lever, which is able to drive the shutter mechanism, may be swingably provided.
In addition, in this kind of image forming apparatus, different types of toner are used depending on, for example, specification of image quality, destination, colors of the images, or the like. Accordingly, usually, a suitable type of toner is specified for the image forming apparatus.
When the user uses a not-specified type of toner by mistake, a mechanical failure of the image forming apparatus or an image defect may occur. To prevent this, the compatibility must be eliminated from the toner containers that stores the toner (hereinafter, it is also referred to as “the toner containers have the non-compatible function”).
As a technology proposed for this purpose, it is known, for example, that a projection is formed on the toner container at a different position or in a different shape depending on the model of the image forming apparatus, and at the same time, a concave, with which the projection is engaged, is formed on the apparatus main body to which the toner container is attached. For example, as a portion that provides the non-compatible function of the toner container, a step portion, which extends along the insertion direction to the apparatus main body, may be formed on the upper part of the toner container.